Eyes of Blue
by Pharaoh-chan
Summary: All she wants is to see his eyes one more time, a glimpse of the man she once knew, but maybe he isn't there anymore.


"This better be important." Came his sharp voice from behind the door. She was allowed in by his twin brothers, but she could tell it was not willingly. He was becoming more and more distant from her lately, and whether it was the business or his family, or sudden fame and fortune, she did not know. Maybe it was all of these things he held in higher regard than her these days.

"What do you want?" He asked, without missing a beat, clearly distracted by his current plans for building an entire city. She glanced over it curiously, "What is that?" He sighed, forced, "It's a model, what does it look like? Just get to it already." She flinched at his words. He was so impatient these days, so intolerant.

"Uhm...well...I...I just wanted..." She tried to sound braver and stronger than she actually was, but the words came out fragile and small, causing him to become even more agitated as he tried to concentrate. "Well?" She swallowed dryly, hands needing something to hold or pull at. "I just..." He still didn't look up, continuing to fiddle with the city set and fix parts of it, mumbling to himself.

It was quiet in his office then, save for his movements and her breath. It was awkward for her, but she doubted he even noticed, or cared. All he wanted to do was get on with his work and for her to say her piece and get out of his hair. "Uhm...Once-ler...?"

"...Are you still here? Are you gonna spit it out or what, already, I have things to do, other people to see." He finally turned towards her, and her heart skipped a beat at the notion of him merely turning to _look_ at her for once in so many months. She longed to see those beautiful blue eyes engaged with seeing her, knowing she was there.

...But the moment was short-lived as he merely had turned to retrieve his blueprints, eyes covered by his glasses per usual, and no contact with her whatsoever. Her hopes died again. "I...I was wondering if...we could...talk." He unrolled his prints, bored by her words, "I thought that's what we _were_ doing, if you ever get around to what it is you're trying to say. Do you realize that you're monopolizing potential time I could be using to make profit, seal deals?"

"You always do that though...we...we never get to talk anymore, Oncie..." She was met with a sharp sound on his desk, and she realize his balled fist had made its' way there. "Oh we don't talk? No, that's because _I'm_ too busy _running a company_. Do you realize how much effort that entails, while you ride off to the city in your fancy new car, living it up? 'Oncie' has to make sure his clients and customers are satisfied, while maintaining stock and keeping the sharks at bay. If you wanted us to 'talk', you could have very well gotten off your behind to do something to help me with the work load. But as usual, everyone is too busy living off of me, at _my _expense."

His words hurt a lot, probably more than he realized. "L-living it up...? Y-you _gave_ me that car, I didn't even want it! You told me you wanted me to be able to get to and from town safely. A-and you told me you didn't need me to help you anymore, that you had enough money to hire factory workers..."

He stood, "Always shirking responsibility, Norma, as usual. You're like my mother, constantly demanding stuff from me, but never actually realizing how much I already break my back for you."

"I...I can't believe I'm hearing this from you! Do you even know what you're saying anymore? Who _are_ you?" She was near close to crying already.

"Oh please, cut the dramatics, I'm not in the mood to deal with your over-emotional behavior today. I've done everything I could to make you happy and it's _never enough_."

"It was always enough!" She cried back, "I never asked for this from you, I never asked you to cut down the trees, I never asked you to even _marry_ me. If I could give all of this...this _stuff_ up if it meant having the old you back, I would in an instant!"

His lip curled in disgust, "The _old_ me? That worthless sack of _nothing_ would still be singing with an old broken up guitar he found at the thrift, slung over his _pack mule _and searching the globe for a way to make himself feel less _useless_. I'm _someone_ now, and someone important! People need what I give them, and even if they don't, I'll _make_ them need it!"

"You're nothing _now_, a shell of who you used to be! I liked you better when you were poor! We were _happy_ when you were poor!" She placed a hand to her face, sobbing. "...O-or maybe...I was...at least."

He scoffed, turning away and sliding his sunglasses off, tucking them away in his pocket. "When we were poor, I was stupid, blind to everything I could have had, could have done. Ignorance isn't bliss, it's just ignorance. I hated everything about my life then, I'd never go back to it."

It stung, and she placed her hands over her heartbeat, which was wild and hurting. "...I was...I was content with our life together. I...I didn't care if you were famous, or...or rich. Because you mattered to _me_. But...but I can see now...that you despised everything about your old life. _Including_ me."

He was unresponsive, and his back was turned to her, and she wanted so badly for him to deny it, to turn, to show her his eyes again, which she missed so dearly, and perhaps...perhaps they might be happy again. He would embrace her and kiss her tears and fears away.

But no such thing happened. The silence returned, and she was left numb. "...Do you...?"

His face turned, but against the dim lighting, she could not make out his expression, or his eyes. "Why would you even ask me something like that?"

Her gaze dropped to the floor as tears continued to sting her eyes, "Is that your answer for me? Or are you actually just...going to be clear with me...once and for all, and tell me how you feel about our life together." She blinked back the hot tears from falling further as she held out her hand, a beautiful ring on it. "Be honest with me...if you...if you had met me now...instead of then...would you still ask me to marry you?"

He was silent again, and it spoke volumes, far better than any answer he could have supplied her. It was clear to her then. "These assumptions...these questions are stupid. They have no purpose, other than you trying to make an issue out of nothing. You know what I felt when I married you. I tried to give you everything you'd need to live comfortably. And yet now you're scorning me for it."

"Not scorning...you've just...changed. And...you won't answer me directly because...because how you felt when you married me...is not the same way you feel _now_." She slowly began to slide the ring off, approaching his desk only to drop it there. "So...you don't have to say it. You can pretend I never came in here today, and just go about your work." She struggled to keep strong, to control her immense despair as she turned away. "I'm _sorry_ I interrupted you."

The Once-ler turned, his attention finally captivated by her. "What are you doing...?" She turned away, "I'm leaving. You don't have to give me anything. You don't owe me a cent. I'll never bother you again. Maybe you'll...find genuine happiness in all of this. But it's clear...I can't give it to you."

"...Norma...don't...this is..." Why couldn't he just tell her he loved her, embrace her, **anything**? She slowly approached the door, head bowed, tears dribbling over her cheeks. He had become such a powerful, wealthy man...and as he stood there, watching the only girl who had ever truly loved him, even when he was a nobody, leave his life forever,it was as if his entire empire had come crashing down in that instant. Suddenly, none of it mattered in the slightest anymore.

His heart began to pound, and for once his eyes were entirely focused on her. He wanted so badly for her to turn around again, to have her eyes meet his- he hadn't seen her beautiful eyes in so long...

She opened the door, without a backwards glance, aching for eyes she'd never see again.

And she was gone.

* * *

I'm sorry for the horribly lame story, I did it for a friend. I do hope you enjoy it regardless of the sadness and quality though, the Once-ler/Norma pairing is really quite cute, even if the headcanon for it can be quite tragic at times. XD;


End file.
